q & a- the cradle coach

So today is an exciting day… because it starts my Q&A series on the blog. I am so, so excited about this. I have some awesome women lined up to share with your their stories and expertise.

My first interview was with Melissa, also known as the Cradle Coach. Melissa and I have been friends since college and I have always admired her mommy skills. She now shares those skills with other mamas… especially ones who struggle with their children’s sleeping patterns.

I am sure if you have been a mom…. you remember! Those long… long… nights of being completely exhausted. Some of you may still be there! I know I have been with our foster son the past few months.

Well, you need to read her advice below and be sure to check out her site here.

Tell us a little about yourself?

My name is Melissa and I am a mother of two little ones, Riley (3) and Hudson (1), who I am totally in love with. I married the man of my dreams who I met in college. He makes me become a better wife, mother, sister and friend every single day by pushing me to be greater. There are three things I need every day to get me through; spending time in the word, running, and drinking coffee. If I don’t get those in, I feel completely lost. I absolutely love what I get to do and love the people I get to do it with.

What inspired you to become The Cradle Coach?

I was sitting on my couch, feeding Riley who was 2 months old at the time, and scrolling through my phone searching for someone to talk to about training my very stubborn little girl. I was up all night, every night, for 2 months straight and was exhausted. I wasn’t myself and felt completely out of control. I was desperate! For years I was a nanny and dealt with many situations like this with infants, twins and toddlers but when it was my own child with very real emotions to consider, I didn’t know where to begin. Nothing worked and I couldn’t find a single person to talk to. Then and there was when I decided to start The Cradle Coach. I wanted to help other moms create a routine for their children during the day and a game plan for the wake ups at night, while giving them that emotional support along the way.

What’s the biggest challenge you see parents running in to when it comes to their children’s sleeping habits?

Second guessing themselves. They start off with a technique and after a day or two, think that its not working and try something else. This causes so much confusion for their little ones – communicating by their actions one thing and changing things on them the next night. Stick to your plan for at least a week to see if you see progress. If you don’t then change things up a little but too much change creates for a harder time sleep training.

I remember when I had my first child, everyone had some sort of advice to give when it came to feedings, schedules, etc. What would you say to a new mom about the rush of advice they receive? How do they know who is right?

I always say to my clients, go with your motherly instinct. If your gut is telling you something about your child, more then likely you are right! Nobody can tell you more about your child then you can, so trust your gut.

Any other tips for fellow mamas?

Routine, Routine, Routine! Children thrive on routine. They like knowing whats expected of them and what’s next. Starting off with a little bedtime routine before you lay them to sleep helps them know it’s time to go to sleep. It slows them down and And obviously, enjoy the moments. Sometimes we are so exhausted that we cant see the joy in the moment. Be open to those moments. Love on those moments. They go by so fast!!

Thanks so much Melissa. And like I said follow her page on Facebook here and check out her website here. Great advice!